


Power Couple

by thankyouturtle



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arranged Marriage, Cheating, F/M, M/M, Politics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-19
Updated: 2011-07-19
Packaged: 2017-10-21 13:24:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/225666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thankyouturtle/pseuds/thankyouturtle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A marriage between Relena and Quatre is the best thing for Earth and the colonies. It's just not necessarily the best thing for the couple themselves...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Power Couple

Really, Noin should have been the one sitting there with Relena, the evening before her wedding, but she'd been called in to an emergency meeting that she couldn't avoid, not even for Relena's sake. Relena wished desperately that the women who was the closest person she had to a sister could have been there, to quiet her nerves, or give her womanly advice, or to do whatever one's maid of honour usually did in the circumstances, but if there was one thing Relena understood it was that duty came before one's personal wishes. And Catherine made a good stand-in, anyway.

"I'm sorry I couldn't ask you to be my bridesmaid," she said, not for the first time. Catherine smiled.

"I know as well as you do it would be impossible for me to say yes, even if you had asked me," she responded. "An acrobat at the Vice-Chancellor's wedding? Questions-"

"-would be asked," Relena finished, and she didn't let even a small sigh escape from her lips. "Whereas, no one could possibly wonder why I'd asked an old schoolfriend to be part of the wedding party. And Dorothy was overjoyed, anyway. She even asked me if I wanted her to wax her eyebrows." The two women exchanged a look, and Catherine dimpled while Relena ducked her head with a giggle. "But you will be at the church tomorrow, won't you? And Trowa? I know he might not want to, but-"

"He'll be there," Catherine reassured her. "He wouldn't miss it, not such an important occasion. Not when it's you, and Quatre. We'll _all_ be there." There wasn't any need to say who _We_ were. The Gundam pilots; the men and women who had stood by them, and stood by Relena, and found a way to make peace between the colonies and the Earth. And wasn't that just one more step towards their vision? Marriage between Vice-Chanellor Relena Darlian and Quatre Raberba Winner, perhaps the most respected leader on the colonies for all his young age, would help cement the ties that treaties and trade agreements had already started. The _we_ that had started all this - they'd have to be there tomorrow.

"I can't imagine how you must be feeling," Catherine said, apparently unaware of the direction of Relena's thoughts. "When I was little I always dreamed about getting married. When we were mending the circus tent I used to parade around in the scraps, like they were the train on my wedding dress. And you're going to look so beautiful tomorrow, Relena."

"I used to dream about my wedding, too," Relena admitted. Of course, back then she'd expected her bridesmaids would be wearing bright pink dresses, but Noin and Dorothy had managed to convince that a deep blue would be a lot more becoming for both of them. And of course, back then she'd thought she'd be getting married to - well, to someone she loved.

Still, Relena understood duty, even if it came before her personal wishes. And in this case it didn't come before her personal wishes, because her personal wish was for lasting peace, and that's what this marriage would help signify. And that was all she'd allow herself to hope for.

*** 

Quatre wished he had not let himself be talked into this. The Corps had promised that they'd get him to the chapel in one piece, but he realised now that "in one piece" did not cover him being sober. He'd tried to switch to water after the first three beers, but the bartender hadn't let him. The bartender with a black peacked cap, and a long plait, and who better have a _very good reason_ for being there.

"I'm watching your back," Duo said airily when Quatre pressed him. Quatre was by this time holding on to the bar to keep himself steady, but he was pretty sure that even if his movement was somewhat impaired his brain was functioning as well as usual.

"I can watch my own back," Quatre argued.

"And after tomorrow?" Duo demanded.

"Relena and I can watch each other's backs. That's what marriage is. If you ever settled down you'd know what I mean."

"Settle - Quatre, are you sure you know what you're doing? You should be living free! You're in the prime of your life! You're probably breaking someone's heart."

Quatre swayed backwards, as if he'd been struck. Duo might have said it casually, just an old friend living the single life, scared of commitment - but Quatre knew exactly who he meant. "No one's getting hurt because of this," he said, making the same arguement he'd made to himself, every day since Relena and he had made this decision. "People are going to be happy, Duo. This isn't just a union of a man and a woman, it's the colonies and the Earth."

"And Trowa?" Duo's voice wasn't hard, just curious. "Is he going to be happy?"

"We've made arrangements," Quatre replied, and then bit his lip. He hadn't meant to let that slip, not even to Duo. Especially not to Duo, who'd always been so fond of Relena. "Don't tell her," Quatre said, and it was more of a command than a request. "You can't, Duo. She'll be so hurt-"

"And you want everyone to be happy," Duo said darkly. "I know."

***

"There." Dorothy adjusted Relena's veil once more, then stood back to admire her work. "Perfect, of course. Thank goodness I'm here, is all I can say." Relena nodded, and tried to smile.

"Are you ready, Relena?" Noin asked, voice steady, eyes kind. "The car's waiting for us."

"I don't -" Relena swallowed. "Would you two go down first? I'll catch up. I just want..."

"A few last minutes by yourself as a single lady," Dorothy suggested. She put her arm around Noin and steered her towards the door. "Come on, Noin. I believe that gorgeous brother of hers is waiting outside."

As soon as they were gone, Relena took a deep breath and turned to look at herself in the long mirror set against the wall, lifting her veil back up so that she could properly see. It was her dream dress, alright, but somehow she was unable to recognise herself in it at all. She should be excited, she knew, but instead all she felt was a deep sense of dread. She screwed her eyes shut, trying to screw up her courage, too. She liked Quatre; maybe in time she'd learn to love him. Even if she didn't, well, they understood each other, and had the same goals. There were worse matches made every day, and for far less lofty purpose than for the good of the solar system. She opened her eyes again, and found that someone was standing beside her.

"Heero?" she whispered. "I didn't think I'd see you today. I never see you." She tried to smile. "That's how I know you're there." He moved closer to her, and Relena eyed him warily. "You're not going to tell me not to do this, are you? I can't- I have to, Heero." She was trying to convince herself as much as him, she knew. Heero still said nothing, but reached out and cupped the side of her face with his hand. For a moment she wondered if he was going to threaten to kill her, but the words that came out of his mouth surprised her.

"I'll still be here." His voice was low. "You're too important for me to leave to anyone else. Even to Quatre."

Relena felt her lips tremble. "Too important for everyone?" she managed to ask, "or too important to you?"

As ever, Heero's face was unreadable. "I'll be here," was all he said. "When you need me-"

Relena leaned forward and kissed him, full on the mouth. It must have been nerves, making her act so oddly. She'd never dared to do so before. Heero - was he really kissing her back? - if she waited much longer the others would start to wonder where she was - but Heero would hear if anyone approached them - that couldn't be Heero's hand sliding up her thigh, surely -

***

If the bride looked a little redder than usual as she walked up the aisle, it was nothing to be remarked upon. Wasn't it normal, after all, for a bride to be blushing? And if the groom looked uncomfortable - well, wasn't that normal, too? He was taking on such a huge responsibility, marrying someone with such a career, and such a following. And he was so handsome! And she, so beautiful!

Besides, look how the couple smiled as they said their vows - so happy! So obviously in love. Who was going to notice if the smiles didn't reach their eyes, if the kiss was a touch more chaste than one might expect of two lovers? It was going to be such a perfect union, one that everyone could celebrate; one that truly ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity. And if Trowa's face looked solemn, and Heero's expression was unreadable as the new husband and wife walked down the aisle - there was nothing unusual in that, either.


End file.
